Rack for attachment to vehicles



March 1954 w. c. MILSTEAD RACK FOR ATTACHMENT TO VEHICLES Filed May 15, 1951 FIG. 2

INVENTOR.

W. C. MILSTEAD ATTO RNEY Patented Mar. 16, 1954 UNITED STATES EFT .NT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to supports and more particularly to a rack adapted to be attached to vehicles for supporting elongated articles such as pipes, lumber and other similar articles.

Pipe racks for similar purposes have commonly been provided on trucks and other vehicle for use by plumbers, carpenters and other craftsmen who are required to transport relative long articles to and from the jobs on which they are working. These racks previously used have had many disadvantages, since many of these were necessarily permanently attached to the vehicle, or, if temporarily attached, were not sufilciently rigid to support the load, or were loose thus producing a great deal of noise. Other racks of a detachable nature required substantial alteration or addition to the vehicle to provide a rigid and substantial structure.

One object of the present invention is to overcome the disadvantages enumerated above and to provide a pipe rack which is readily installed and easily removed, but still furnishes a sturdy and rigid rack, when it is mounted on a vehicle body.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pipe rack which requires no alteration of the vehicle body, and the only portion thereof which is permanently attached to the vehicle provides a smooth sturdy grill guard to protect the front end of the vehicle.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of a pipe rack comprising a front rack having a rigid framework which may be secured to the front end of the vehicle frame and is adapted to detachably mount a pair of outwardly extending arms and one or more identical rear racks which are adapted to be inserted in the stake wells and rest on the flange of the truck body in such a manner as to prevent the rear racks from twisting and turning thus providing two or more aligned supports on each side of the vehicle body for anyelongated articles which it may be desired to transport thereon.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of one preferred application of the present invention showing a pick-up truck provided with front and rear pipe racks constructed in accordance with one preferred form of the present invention;

Fig. 2 an enlarged perspective view of the front rack shown in Fig. 1 illustrating the manner in which it is attached to the front end of the ve- I (Cl. 2244l2.45)

hicle frame and showing one arm detached from the rigid framework;

Fig. 3 an enlarged perspective View of one of the rear racks shown in Fig. 1; and,

Fig. 4 a further enlarged View of the rear racks shown in Fig. 3 positioned in the stake well of the vehicle body and resting on the sloping flange with the stake well and the flange being shown in section.

Referring now to the drawings in detail a pipe rack constituting one preferred form of the present invention is shown in Fig. 1 adapted for use on a conventional pick-up truck Iii which is commonly used by plumbers. carpenters and other craftsmen in transporting their tools and supplies to and from the jobs on which they are working.

The front rack which is shown in more detail in Fig. 2 consists of a rigid framework l2 which is secured to the front end of the two channel members 14 and I6 which form a part of the conventional vehicle frame by means of a flat horizontal member if! which may be rigidly secured to the members l4 and it as by spot welding indicated at 20 and 22, or, if desired, member l8 may be detachably secured by bolts (not shown). Framework I2 further consists of outer upright members 24 and 26, diagonal braces 28 and 30 and a pair of shorter upright members 32 and 34 which extend between the member [8 and the respective diagonal members 28 and 30.

A horizontal tubular member 36 extends transversely and is supported across the upper ends of the members 24, 26, 28 and 39 and is cut-away at each end to provide recesses indicated at 38 and 49 to receive a pair of semi-cylindrical caps 52 and 44. Each of the caps are provided with a bolt 46 and 48 respectively which are adapted to extend through suitable openings (not shown) in the lower portion of the tubular member 36 and are secured in position by nuts 50 and 52. The upright members 24 and 26 have secured thereto tubular sockets 54 and 56 which extend upwardly and outwardly from the lower portion thereof and are adapted to receive the lower ends of the diagonally curved struts 58 and 60 on the respective arms 62 and 64.

Each of the arms 62 and 64 are identical in construction and have horizontal supports 66 and 58 which are secured to the upper ends of the struts 58 and 60 respectively and provide a support for the articles carried on the racks' Both of the supports 66 and 68 are provided with a pair of upwardly extending prongs I0 and K2 which prevent the articles from sliding sideways and which may be utilized in lashing the articles to the rack. Diagonal portions 14 and 16 extend downwardly and inwardly from the supports 68 and 68 to horizontal portions 18 and 80 which are adapted to seat in the recesses 38 and 4?? and are provided with openings one of which is shown on portion 18 at 82. These openings receive the bolts A6 and 4B for securing the arms rigidly in position, when the members 58 and 66 have been inserted in the sockets 54 and 56 and the horizontal portions 18 and 80 rest in the recesses 38 and 40.

It will be obvious that this arrangement provides a sturdy, rigid and substantial structure which can be readily set up and easily taken apart by removing the arms 62 and 64 with the framework 12 in either case providing an effective, grill guard to protect the front end of the vehicle.

The removable rear pipe racks are; all identical in construction andJmay be interchangeably used in any one of the stake wells on; the pick-- up truck body shown. Each. of the; rearracks consists of a; rectangular uprightv portion 84 which slides snugly into the stake well 86. as shown in Fig. 4, and is connected to a diagonal portion 88- which extends upwardly and outwardly to a horizontal support 90'provided with a pair of upright prongs 9.2 which are similar in construction and use to the prongs l0 and 12 on the forward rack.

Plate 94 is. secured to the underside of the-diagonal portion 88 and is adapted to rest against the inclined flange 98. of the truck body. Plate is provided with a curved flange98 which engages over the edgeof flange 96 and is also provided with a downwardly extending portion, H36 which is positioned in spaced parallel relation to the upright portion 84 and engages the inner surface of the truck body. The plate 94 distributes the load over the; body flange 9.6 and the curved flange 98 and the portion I00 keeps the twisting or turning of the rearrack to a minimum.

As shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings two rear racks may be used on each side-of the pick-up truck, or, if desired, only one or more than two may be-used depending on the length and weight of the material or articles tobe. carried on the racks.

It will be apparent that if desired only one of the arms 64 may be used in conjunction with one or more of the rear racks on only one side of the vehicle body. The structure shown can obviously be modified and adaptedv to diiferent types of truck bodies, and, if it, were found desirable to provide a pipe carrying rack. on pas:- senger vehicles, a rear rack might be provided similar to thefront rack shown and attached. to the after end, of. the vehicleframe. in, a, similar manner.

It willbe obvious to. those, skilled. in the art that various changes may be made in the iii-- vention, without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and therefore the, invention is not limited by, that which is shown in the drawings and described in the specification, but only as indicated in the appended claims.

I claim:v

1. A rack for attachment to a vehicle comprising a framework having a horizontal member adapted to be rigidly secured to the front iii) end of the vehicle frame, upright members secured adjacent the outer ends of said horizontal member, and a horizontal tubular member extending across the upper ends of said upright members and secured thereto, said tubular member having the upper part of its end portions cutaway to form recesses, and tubular sockets inclined upwardly and outwardly from the lower portion of said upright members; a pair of arms each having a horizontalportionzadapted to seat in one-ofsaid'recesses, a diagonal'strut adapted to engage in one of said sockets, a horizontal support rigidly connected to said horizontal portionand aid diagonal strut, and a pair of spaced prongs extending upwardly from each of said horizontal supports; and a pair of end caps each having securing means extending through the horizontal portion on one of said arms and through one of the end portions of said horizontal tubular member; for detachably securing saidv arms in. rigid outwardly xtending relation to said framework,

2. A rack for attachmentto avehicle compris ing a frameworlradaptedto berigidly-secured to the front end-oi the vehicle frame said framework having a horizontal member, upright. members secured onsaid horizontal membcradiacent the outer endsthereof, atransversemember secured across the upper ends of saidiupright' members. said transverse member having recesses formed in itsend portions, and tubular-sockets. inclined upwardly and outwardly fromthe-lower portion of said upright membersg a pair of arms each-having a, portion adapted. to seat. in one of said, liecesses, diagonal members adapted toengage; in said sockets, a; support rigidly connectedl'toisaid horizontal portion and said-diagonal memberhand a pair of spaced prongs extendingupwardlypfrcm said support: a pair of; end caps hevingsecuring means extending through the-horizontalportions on said arms and throu h the-end-portions ofsaid horizontal tubular member for detachably'secuiw ing saidarms in rigid outwardly extending:r.elation to said framework.

3. A rack for attachment toavehiclecomnrising an uprightframeworkadapted, to be rigidly secured to the frontend of the-vehicle frammsaid framework having recesses, formed' inthe upper part: of its end portions, andtubular'socketsinzclined upwardly and outwardly fromthe, lower portionof'said framework; a pair-of arms each having a portion adapted to seat in one of. said recesses. amember adaptedto engageinone-of said sockets, a support rigidly connected to said portion and said member: a pair of end caps hav,

ing securing, means, extending through the portions on said arms and through the end port-ions of said. framework fordetaohably securing said arms in, rigidoutwardly extending relation ,tosaid framework.-

WILLIAM; C.. MILSTEAD.

ferences: Cited. in the-1111c; of this, patent UNITED STATES; PATENTS Number Name Date 1,295,896 shul'er et a1. Feb; 25, 1919 1,562,808 Thompson Nov. 24, 1925 1,633,497 Schoelerman June 21, 1927 2,233,273 Divincenzo Feb. 25, 1941 2,570,802 Hatteburg Oct. 9; 1951 

